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Film about local educator to screen

Melodye Van Putten sits between Akiiki Nyabongo, left, Ra’eesah Robinson, right, and Kai Mendes, far right, during her Ashay Club, which focuses on teaching young people about African culture and history (Photo by Nicola Muirhead)

The campaign group Citizens Uprooting Racism in Bermuda will be hosting an afternoon of discussion and entertainment this month.

Curb, together with Ashay University and the Berkeley Education Tour, are putting together an encore presentation of “ASHAY! An Afternoon of Film, Discussion and Performance”, to take place on May 31.

The event will include a screening of the documentary Healing History and a performance of the play Everything We Should Be, by Berkeley Institute students.

The film by Kristin Alexander, which premiered at the Bermuda International Film Festival, follows the work of “Mwalimu” (master teacher) Melodye Van Putten, an educator and poet, who teaches the lessons of empowerment found in global African history and culture.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Ms Van Putten, Curb activist Cordell Riley, educational therapist Anthony Ball and retired principal Janette Musson.

Meanwhile, Everything We Should Be, written and directed by Shalane Dill, tells the story of a conscious teacher trying to instil consciousness in her teenage students only to be rebuffed by the principal and a particularly vocal parent.

The fundraising event is scheduled to begin at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute at 3pm.

Tickets for the screening and the play cost $15 each or $25 for both, and are available at the Curb office, the Berkeley Institute main office, Orchid Nail Spa, 27th Century Boutique and Music Box.